Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Mark 16:13 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 13. 13And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse moves Mark 16:9-20's connected sequence forward at Mark 16:13 through the report, “And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them”.
Read It With
- Mark 16:9-20
Read Mark 16:13 with 16:9-20. This verse moves Mark 16:9-20's connected sequence forward at Mark 16:13 through the report, “And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them”. The complete unit's controlling movement is: The KJV displays the traditional longer ending: appearances to Mary Magdalene, two travelers, and the Eleven; a worldwide commission; signs; Jesus' ascension; and the disciples' preaching with confirming works.
Why This Verse Appears Here
This verse moves Mark 16:9-20's connected sequence forward at Mark 16:13 through the report, “And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them”. This specific contribution advances Mark 16:9-20 toward its narrated or taught result.
Follow the Context
- Mark 16:9-20 is one coherent narrated or teaching movement titled “The KJV Longer Ending Preserves an Early Church Conclusion.” Its opening change of scene, speaker, audience, journey stage, or controversy and its closing response distinguish it from the adjacent unit.
- The KJV displays the traditional longer ending: appearances to Mary Magdalene, two travelers, and the Eleven; a worldwide commission; signs; Jesus' ascension; and the disciples' preaching with confirming works.
- Verses 9-20 are inside the pinned KJV display boundary and must be studied, but the earliest Greek codices Vaticanus and Sinaiticus end at 16:8; other witnesses preserve a shorter ending, the longer ending, both, or additional material. Vocabulary and transition support the judgment that 16:9-20 is an early secondary ending, not Mark's original continuation. Canonical and ecclesial judgments differ. Snake-handling and poison language is descriptive sign tradition, never a command to test God or refuse care.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
The manuscript evidence does not permit concealing the KJV verses or pretending their originality is undisputed.
What Remains True
This verse moves Mark 16:9-20's connected sequence forward at Mark 16:13 through the report, “And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them”. Its faithful force remains governed by God's kingdom, Jesus' cross-defined authority, truthful discipleship, and protection of vulnerable people.
How It Can Shape Life
- When teaching Mark 16:13, explain this exact role inside Mark 16:9-20, state the material uncertainty or first-century control, and refuse the unit's first harmful misuse.
Teach It Back
Explain Mark 16:13's specific contribution to Mark 16:9-20: moves Mark 16:9-20's connected sequence forward at Mark 16:13 through the report, “And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them”. Include the surrounding movement, one uncertainty or ethical boundary, and what the verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Mark 16:9-20 — The KJV Longer Ending Preserves an Early Church ConclusionSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The preferred reading follows Mark's immediate narrative and whole-book movement while keeping the material alternative visible: Verses 9-20 are inside the pinned KJV display boundary and must be studied, but the earliest Greek codices Vaticanus and Sinaiticus end at 16:8; other witnesses preserve a shorter ending, the longer ending, both, or additional material. Vocabulary and transition support the judgment that 16:9-20 is an early secondary ending, not Mark's original continuation. Canonical and ecclesial judgments differ. Snake-handling and poison language is descriptive sign tradition, never a command to test God or refuse care.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Exact location: Mark 16:9-20, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 16:9-20
Open the Mark Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Mark with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 16:9-20 and attached translator/textual notes
Open the official NET Mark PDF ↗